


Hey, Little Songbird

by nvvermore



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Devil Lucio (The Arcana), Gen, Julian Devorak Route - Reversed Ending, Julian Devorak's Route, Multi, Muriel Route (The Arcana), Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-18
Updated: 2021-02-18
Packaged: 2021-03-14 15:40:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29544594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nvvermore/pseuds/nvvermore
Summary: Amaryllis makes a deal with the new Devil, Lucio, in order to keep Julian from damning himself. Incidentally, they make a second deal, damning themself
Relationships: Apprentice/Julian Devorak, Apprentice/Lucio (The Arcana), Julian Devorak/Original Character(s)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 5





	Hey, Little Songbird

**Author's Note:**

> This is a reversed ending for my apprentice, Amaryllis, that takes heavy inspiration from Hadestown and the mythos of Hades and Persephone. This story has elements of both Julian and Muriel’s routes, and Amaryllis’s end taking the place of either of their reversed endings.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first, fateful deal that started it all

“Are you sure you can face him this way?” Julian had asked. “You were- once you were good friends.”

“Perhaps. But it’s not like I remember anyways.”

“Ah, well, that’s true.”

“Besides,” Amaryllis turns to take Julian’s hand in theirs, and wraps the embroidered shawl tighter around them, their thoughts— and  _ heart _ — with Asra too. “Those with me  _ now _ are far more important. He made his choice.”

Then, Amaryllis had thought they felt a sense of hope,  _ true _ hope, that they’d rarely ever felt before.

But everything fell apart when the couple was trapped in Lucio’s chains.

“Look at us,  _ Amie _ ,” Lucio spat, “After all these years, and now you’re the one chasing me. If only I’d known that all it took for you to notice me was bringing on the end of the world as you know it. I would have usurped the Devil sooner!”

Amaryllis makes no indication they even acknowledge his taunting. They remain calm and collected, despite being bound and defenseless in the Devil’s realm. Until Julian starts to speak.

At first, it reignites that sense of hope, but the more he talks, the more they realize that the pounding in their chest is  _ dread _ .

Something doesn't feel right. Something is wrong with Julian’s words.

“I love you,” he confesses, and alarms begin to sound in their mind.

“Lucio,” Amaryllis cuts Julian off, stops him before he can damn himself and everyone else with them,

“It’s  _ Devil _ to you.”

“ _ Devil _ , I’d like to make a deal.”

“Amaryllis,  _ stop- _ ” Julian struggles in his chains, even though they long since realized it’s futile.

“ _ No _ . No, I know what you're planning.”

“We can't stop him. Not without you getting hurt, or, or worse!”

“And what about you!” they scream, “Damn it, Ilya. I thought we were going to do this  _ together _ , that we'd come to trust each other.”

“I just want to protect you,” he pleads.

“I've already told you once, I don't need your protection. Especially if it's  _ this _ .” Amaryllis turns as far from him as they can, fully focused on Lucio.

“Go on, little  _ songbird _ .” His grin makes them nauseous.

“The ritual is stopped, our world and everyone in it is left alone. And no one else can make deals with you that concern me.”

“Not one to ask for little things, are you? You always were spoiled.” Lucio approaches, cradling their chin in his clawed hand. “And what is the price you're willing to pay? Let us hope it's enough.”

“I offer myself.”

“Your what? Your soul? Your body? Your magic?”

“My everything. For the rest of my time, I stay in your realm, to keep you company.”

“And what makes you think I want  _ your _ company?”

“I’m sure the Devil is a lonely, lonely job. Haven’t you been alone long enough?” Lucio pulls his hand back. “Besides, you’ll be the only one my attention is  _ ever _ on, for years and years to come.”

Lucio is quiet for a long moment.

“You would do that? You would give up your freedom for  _ them _ ? For  _ Vesuvia _ ?” he asks, as if perplexed by such a sacrifice.

“If I did, would you agree to my terms?”

“I will. But you must stay  _ forever _ , or the deal is broken, and I won’t spare your city or your family.”

“That’s not fair!” Julian interjects. Lucio jolts, as if he’d forgotten Julian was there at all. All of the bewilderment he’d shown moments ago was now replaced with rage once again.

“Make your choice!” he screams.

“Amaryllis,  _ please _ , I’m already a dead man walking, I’ve had my time, let me-“ Amaryllis can tell, just from his voice, that Julian is crying. They can’t afford to look at him. Not now, not yet.

They take what feels like their final breath. “You have my word.”

“Done.”

Finally, they turn to see Julian’s tear-streaked face, and the doubt comes in. “Ilya…” 

“No, no, no, I’m begging you! Please—“ he cries.

“I’ll be sending  _ you _ back now, safe and sound,” Lucio points a claw at Julian.

“Wait, no, not yet-“ 

“Let them go!” Julian starts to thrash again. “Let them go! Amaryllis,  _ Amie- _ “

Out of the corner of their eye, they see Lucio’s fingers, poised to snap. They know they should turn to Lucio, to plead, for just another moment, one last minute, but they can’t take their eyes off of him. They can’t miss out on every glimpse of him they can get, as many as they can to last them a lifetime.

“ _ Ilya _ !”

The Devil snaps his fingers, and Julian is  _ gone _ , vanished into thin air. The chains previously surrounding him falling to the flood with a devastating clang. Amaryllis’s chains dissipate then too, and they fall to their knees, barely registering the pain as their body connects with the cold, hard floor.

Amaryllis looks up at him, disguised by the satisfied smirk he wears. “You didn’t let me say goodbye!”

His brow furrows. “ _ What _ ?”

“I’ll never see him again. And I didn’t even get to say goodbye.”


End file.
